Carjacking Ends In Westerville
Columbus Carjacking Ends On South State
A car sale on Facebook Marketplace in Columbus near Polaris Mall turned into an armed carjacking on Wednesday afternoon, ending with the suspect taken into custody and the car recovered in Westerville on South State Street.
Columbus police reported that a suspect, posing as a potential buyer, took the car for a test drive with the owner. During the drive, another individual armed with a gun appeared, prompting the driver to flee. The car’s owner exited unharmed.
The suspect then drove the car to Westerville, where police were alerted to the carjacking and saw it on the Flock license plate reader at I-270 and State Street, which identified it as the stolen car. The suspect drove to the T-Mobile store on South State, entering the store before attempting to flee across State Street.
He was taken into custody near Fazoli’s after police used a taser to subdue him. A Delaware County medic removed the taser prongs which were placed in evidence.
Police recovered a weapon in the center console of the vehicle. The suspect, the car, and the gun were released into the custody of Columbus police.
Evidence of the events in Westerville will be presented to a Delaware County Grand Jury.
Suspicious Package Prompts Evacuation at Robert Frost
Students at Robert Frost Elementary School were evacuated Tuesday morning after a suspicious package was discovered at the school’s entrance.
According to the Westerville Division of Police, the package was found at the front of the building. As a precaution, Principal Angela Hayes informed parents that students in the building were relocated to the nearby Westerville Community United Church of Christ, while students who arrived by bus remained on their buses.
By 10:25 a.m., the evacuation was lifted after authorities determined that the package posed no threat. Police later identified the package as a contractor’s leftover equipment.
In an email to parents, Principal Hayes emphasized that student safety was the school’s top priority and thanked the swift response of local police and fire personnel. Classes resumed as normal following the all-clear.
Genoa Township Police Release New Details, Sketch in Assault Case
Genoa Township Police have provided new information regarding an assault last Thursday near Hoover Reservoir. Authorities released a sketch of the suspect, describing him as a 45-year-old tall, thin man with dark hair.
Police say the incident occurred after a woman was involved in a minor car crash on Red Bank Road last week. While she was inspecting her vehicle, the suspect attacked her, stealing her purse and wallet. The woman was treated at a hospital and has since been released.
Investigators are urging anyone with information about the suspect or the incident to contact Genoa Township Police as the search continues.
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